Resolution Urging Governor Evers and the Wisconsin Legislature to Support the County Courts

In 2023, the total cost to Wisconsin Counties for running all Circuit Courts was $237 million. At the same time, the Court Support funding from the state to counties was $28 million, 12 percent of the actual cost to run the local courts; and,

            WHEREAS, the Circuit Court system is intended to be a state-county partnership; and

            WHEREAS, the state’s fiscal responsibilities include Judges, Court reporters, CCAP equipment, and the Circuit Court Cost Appropriation; and,

            WHEREAS, the Counties are fiscally responsible for the majority of other functions of the court, including, but not limited to the following: bailiffs and court security officers, courthouse building maintenance, phones and utilities, Clerk of Court and Register in Probate, staff salaries and benefits, jury costs, psychological exams, guardians ad litem and court-appointed attorneys, expert witnesses, interpreters and translation fees, court commissioners, law libraries, corporation counsel, courtroom technology and audio visuals, copying machines and other non-CCAP office technology, office supplies, furniture, recruitment and training, financial collection efforts, mail fees, printing costs, exhibit and file storage, access to state data, insurance, service of court documents, judicial staff attorneys, and equipment repair; and,

            WHEREAS, over the last 10 years, the increase in the county portion of cost to run the courts is nearly six times higher than the increase in Circuit Court Cost Appropriations provided to cover these costs, and counties now pay almost $150,000,000 more than the state in unbalanced Circuit Court costs.